Good Reads: Books about OWS

malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member
edited July 2013 in General Discussion
I'm about to place another Amazon order for water bottles and sacks of carbogain, and thought why not add Wind, Waves, and Sunburn to that list. Here's why not: $205 hardcover and $94 softcover, new!? That was my original question. Why!? Can I borrow one of your copies?

Then I realized there was no discussion here about OWS books. The Great Swim - Gavin Mortimer. It is an excellent book, but one I've already read. What else should I add to my Amazon cart? (Preferably something under $200.)

I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

Comments

  • MikeHMikeH Member
    Forgive me this blatant self-promotion, but my book "In Cold Water" about English Channel swimmers is comign out in about 3 weeks...will be available on Amazon, book stores, everywhere, etc.
    futluz2
  • This is a link to an list of books from 3 years ago: http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2010/01/open-water-swimming-books-and-movies.html ... anyone have a more recently updated list?
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Wow. No idea how lucky I was to get Wind, Waves and Sunburn for only $13.10. Keep your eyes open on amazon, bookfinder.com, half.com etc, and you might get lucky.

    WW&S is the best book about marathon swimming, after you skip the first couple of chapters about bears swimming. ;)

    @Mike_H123, looking forward to your book coming out. Let us know when we can preorder from amazon.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • bobswimsbobswims Santa Barbara CACharter Member
    Try Ebay. I found a used copy in very good condition signed by the author for around $20
  • david_barradavid_barra NYCharter Member
    edited August 2014

    ...anything worth doing is worth overdoing.

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Wow, @oxo, never heard of that book. You should review it here and on amazon.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • oxooxo Guest
    @IronMike - i was going to post a photo of the TOC too, then saw that amazon.com has the entire book searchable plus previews.
  • oxooxo Guest
    edited July 2013
    South with the Sun by Lynne Cox, 2012

    - Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon UK
  • SharkoSharko Tomales BayGuest
    edited July 2013
    Lynne Cox has a new book out...

    This from Bill Wygant from the South End

    Lynne's new book Open Water Swimming Manual came out today. It has already received a rave review from Sports Illustrated. She's just beginning her national book tour and will be at the South End on Friday August 16th to talk about her experiences and to sign some books. I posted a brief message on Facebook. You can help Lynne by "Liking" and "Sharing" that post, or creating one of your own. In any case I would appreciate your helping to promote her appearance at SERC so we have a great turnout for her in August.

    - Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon UK

    "I never met a shark I didn't like"

  • gregocgregoc Charter Member
    edited July 2013
    Here is another short, but good book by Robert McCormack. Bob is a Boston Local and will be speaking at this year's Boston Light Swim.

    The Jim Doty Story: Accounts of Some of the Marathon Swims of a Great Boston Swimmer

    - Buy: Amazon.com | Amazon UK
    dpm50
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    Just pre-ordered the Lynne Cox book solely based on who she is. Can't wait.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • loneswimmerloneswimmer IrelandCharter Member
    edited July 2013
    Forum Member @Mike_H123 's book is now published! Congrats Mike! Looking forward to reading it.

    To save Mike the trauma of self-promotion I'll quote his own words from the Channel group for him:
    By way of an overview, the book looks at the who, why, what, and how of English Channel swimming - with a focus on the why & who as seen through the eyes of an average swimmer. I interviewed dozens of people in Channel swimming for their stories and wove them into a storyline that paints a snapshot of our sport for those interested. The book includes chapters or stories about dozens of people in our sport, many of whom are well-known to the community - swimmers, pilots, crew, beach crew, supporters, coaches and others. This is a facet of ‘In Cold Water’ about which I’m quite proud, I must admit.

    I wrote ‘In Cold Water’ because I’m a writer and I wanted to paint a picture of our sport – alternatively, I didn’t write the book because I’m a Channel swimmer; because I’m not yet. I’ve made four attempts at the Channel, and am scheduled again for 2015, but I haven’t yet conquered my demons that have frustrated my attempts. So…if you’re interested in understanding the what, why, how, the flavor of our sport and an average swimmer’s experiences, I think you’d enjoy my book.

    My heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped me with this book. I love our sport and the help I received in the development of this book is an illustration of why – because our community is warm & wonderful.

    - Buy on Amazon.com | Amazon UK

    loneswimmer.com

  • MikeHMikeH Member
    Thanks :)
  • SharkoSharko Tomales BayGuest
    Looking forward to reading your book @Mike_H123

    Sharko

    "I never met a shark I didn't like"

  • malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member
    edited December 2013
    If anyone is thinking of reading The Great Swim by Gavin Mortimer (which everyone should), I've come across a spare copy. It will be mailed to whomever claims it first, free of charge, no strings. Claimed 2 Dec 2013

    This book is one of the main reasons I toil at learning the ukulele (photo caption on page 34: "Cape Girz-Nez, 1925. Gertrude Ederle plays the ukulele while Ishak Helmy dances with Jeanne Sion...").

    I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

  • ChickenOSeaChickenOSea Charter Member
    My ex in laws gave me The Great Swim a while ago and I still haven't read it!!! The stack of unread books on my dresser is about two feet high.
  • Young Woman and the Sea....also about Ederle.WW&S for $205?!!! Criminey, better lock mine up, and @malinika , you can read it , maybe during the weekend of the 24 hr relay?
  • molly1205molly1205 Lincoln, NebraskaSenior Member
    I devoured "In Cold Water," which I downloaded on my tablet a few months ago. Mike did a terrific job of describing his OW journey and attempts to cross the EC.

    "The Great Swim" is what got me into this mess. It captured the frenzy surrounding the first women who were attempting to swim the EC in the mid '20s. Even if you're not into marathon swimming, it's an insightful and well written social history of that era in the U.S. I also have a hardback copy I'd be glad to loan out.

    Molly Nance, Lincoln, Nebraska

  • Thanks Molly :).

    I really enjoyed the Great Swim too, as well as the book about Gertrude Ederle's swim.
  • I cannot locate this "In Cold water"--any advice on where I should be looking for this??
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    Did you try Amazon?
    - hard copy
    - Kindle e-book
  • I feel like an idiot. Yes I did, twice, but nothing. I will try with your links. Duh!
  • GruntorGruntor MelbourneMember
    I am midway through Mike's book, In Cold Water. Loving it. Mike, you are a great story teller. Well done.
  • evmoevmo SydneyAdmin
    edited December 2013
    Potential holiday present for the marathon swimmer in your family (or yourself)?

    51nUmXrUXQL._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg

    - Buy on Amazon
    dpm50
  • Laflamme02Laflamme02 Member
    edited December 2013
    malinaka wrote:
    If anyone is thinking of reading The Great Swim by Gavin Mortimer (which everyone should), I've come across a spare copy. It will be mailed to whomever claims it first, free of charge, no strings. Claimed 2 Dec 2013
    I'll be done this soon and offer it up to the next on the list. Send me a PM and I'll ship it out when I've finished it up (a week or so). Also free of charge and without strings.

  • malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member
    edited April 2014
    8 Bridges is less than two months away, and with that in mind:

    My first ever swim in the Hudson was a Pete Seger River Pool charity swim from Newburgh to Beacon. Half way across, I remember a kayaker paddled over and asked if I needed help because I was just treading water, goggles off, staring up at the NB Bridge and the mountains all around. This was probably a significant moment in my life, or something.

    At the end of the swim, this book was on sale by the author:

    1163257.jpg

    It is not about marathon swimming, but it is a great light read for those who like swimming, or regularly dream about rivers and doing things other people think a bit odd.

    I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

  • SalishSeaSalishSea Nanaimo, BC CanadaMember
    If you read "Big River Man" then watch the film you get 2 different perspectives on the same journey. Which makes for an interesting story.
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    How about if you watched Big River Man first? Book worth reading?

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • danswimsdanswims Portland, ORMember
    edited May 2014
    How about if you watched Big River Man first? Book worth reading?

    Book is always worth reading, because... it's a book.
    sosophiaphia
  • suziedodssuziedods Mem​ber
    edited May 2014
    Besides " The Great Swim" there is also, "Young Woman and the Sea". Also about Ederle but it focuses a bit more on what an impact she had not only on women's swimming but women's athletics in general.
  • KNicholasKNicholas ArizonaCharter Member
    edited August 2014
  • 'In cold water' and 'Dover Solo'.

    Not just great reads from an OW perspective but also help you compare your training to others, to assess the difficulty of you own mountain against theirs' and of course full of helpful tips.

    I felt a lot more confident facing my own swim knowing in comparison, it was the tip of the iceberg compared to what these folks were doing.....
  • malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member
    I met a sailmaker in Port Townsend today who, over a beer, told me about a semilocal marathon swimmer he once knew. He was an autistic man named Benn, who'd swam around Manhattan a few times, loved climbing trees to hand-feed bald eagles, and was regularly barefoot.

    After a minute of searching, I found Benn Kramer of Hornby Island, BC. NYCSwim.com and other sources say Benn swam around Manhattan 18ish times. 18!

    I've not read this book, and suspect it is largely about growing up with autism in the 1960s, but I bet there are some cool stories in there about a guy who we'd all probably have really liked.

    Benn Kramer: Climbing Through Autism
    benkra.jpg
    Jaimie

    I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

  • mpfmarkmpfmark Teesside England Charter Member
    T6BP5QQ0BEG3.jpg
    malinakadpm50steffie
  • mpfmarkmpfmark Teesside England Charter Member
    that was easier than writing a list

    I'm just on with 21 yaks and a speedo now.
    steffie
  • j9swimj9swim CharlestonSenior Member

    So I'm on the injured reserved list (foot surgery) for the next couple of months and have up'd my reading. A friend gave me this little gem of a book I'd like to recommend to my fellow water lovers - 'How to Read Water' - clues and patterns from puddles to the sea' - Tristan Gooley. Not specific to swimming but fascinating stuff on our favorite element, enjoy!

    flystormsMaryStelladpm50
  • This is rather helpful - I've got some trips coming up and need some reading material to absorb to try to get me from armchair swimmer to wannabe. Steady steps, as it were.

    dpm50
  • A Boy In The Water

    I became aware of Tom Gregory many years before I had any interest in marathon swimming. He was, and ever will be, the youngest person to swim the Channel (E-F ’88) – a little short of 12 in both age and hours!

    Assumed, correctly, that life had led him in other directions, so it was with delight I caught a reading on BBC radio of a book authored by Tom:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07C7NSH7N/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

    What I hoped for was a blow by blow account of the swim and the training, and it certainly delivers that. The human interest angle though was a real revelation. Set to a backdrop of popular music from my own youth, and the swim haunts of my recent years, surely made it easier to relate to personally; the real crux of this tale though is the relationship between Tom and his mentor, John Bullet.

    In answering the question of how an 11 year old achieved such goals, the narrative evolves into a commentary on his relationship with John, and effectively contrasts how much societal attitudes have changed over 30 years. The author is sympathetic to the perception that John’s methods would be considered inappropriate by modern standards, and doesn’t shy away from the darker moments.; yet he presents a child well supported by his family and network of swimming friends, his sister in particular, and robustly advocates that, much as he wanted to impress John, he ultimately made his own decisions. For my part I agree.

    Tom gives an interview in the November issue of Outdoor Swimmer which discusses his surprise at some of the reactions to the book, and further defends his original position.

    Really interesting read.

    IronMikeArikflystormsdpm50KatieBunthelittlemerwookieCopelj26Doc2dock
  • dpm50dpm50 PA, U.S.Senior Member

    @Stephen ....just tried to order "Boy in the Water," but could not, as I'm in the US. Couldn't find on US Amazon on my Kindle app. Do you know if/when it's available in the States?

  • JustSwimJustSwim Senior Member

    Only available in hardcover on Amazon.

  • KatieBunKatieBun CornwallSenior Member
    edited November 2018

    I have Boy in the Water on Kindle so it is available in UK. It 's £9.99. There are so many others not on kindle, though, which is frustrating when I already have 17 bookcases.
    Apologies, just read Stephen's post but can't delete mine.

  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    Even though in you're in the US, you can have an amazon.co.uk account. I have one and when I can't find the Kindle book in the US amazon store, I buy it off the UK one. I have one of my kid's old Kindles and that's my "Brit Kindle"

    dpm50Jaimie

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • Seems odd they wouldn’t make an electronic copy generally available. I can share this though:
    https://outdoorswimmer.com/blogs/anything-is-possible
    Also apologies for typo - the swim was F-E

    dpm50
  • dpm50dpm50 PA, U.S.Senior Member

    Thank you, Stephen! Also @IronMike ....didn't know I'd need a separate account for Amazon UK.

    IronMikeCopelj26
  • BHillBHill Des Moines, IAMember

    Hey all, with the holidays coming up im on the lookout for good gifts for the family to get me. Any suggestions for the best Open Water books out there? Looking along the lines of training advice/tips

    Copelj26
  • Another cool interview with Tom Gregory:

    https://www.swimming.org/masters/channel-boy-water/

    Jaimie
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